UNIVERSITY staff and students at Aberdeen University have taken part in a rally to defend modern languages.

The rally on Monday night was organised by the Aberdeen University branch of the University and College Union (UCU) and the Students Association.

It took place as more than 12,000 people signed a petition calling on the university’s senior managers to rethink their plans after announcing a consultation to cut the provision of modern languages.

Last week, the university’s senate, the body in charge of academic matters, demanded that the consultation be halted until they could consider the academic impact of the proposed cuts.

Speaking at the rally, UCU general secretary Jo Grady said: “Teaching and research in modern languages is an integral part of a university.

“These plans could leave Aberdeen as the only ancient university in the UK to not offer modern language degrees, which says much about management and their lack of ambition for the university and north-east Scotland."